If you’ve ever wondered what it might feel like to spend the night somewhere between the golden glow of Old Hollywood and the laid-back, sun-drenched cool of modern California, allow me to introduce you to The Hoxton hotel in Downtown LA — a hotel that feels less like a place to crash and more like a glamorous friend’s impeccably designed pied-à-terre.
By the time our group gathered in the grand, historic lobby of the Herald Examiner Building in downtown Los Angeles for the official 2025 Solutions Journalism Educators Academy group photo, I realized something: This wasn’t just another academic conference where people politely sip coffee, nod a lot, and collect tote bags they’ll never use again.
Jamie Smith grew up playing in clay at his aunt and uncle’s pottery shop in Merigold.
“My first sculpture piece was Moby Dick,” he said. “I took a big block of clay and hammered on it. I beat a tail into it. Then I put some little teeth in it. They dried it slowly for well over a month.”
Today, Jamie and his brother, Stephen, help run McCartys Pottery, a hidden Mississippi gem nestled in the foliage in this tiny town outside Cleveland.
’ve been a TikTok user for a few years now, and while I enjoy it, my bio pretty much sums up how I feel. It reads: “A person who isn’t really sure if TikTok is exciting or terrifying.”
That idea may capture the larger debate we’re having in the U.S. about TikTok. The discussions raise important questions about free speech, national security, and how we can protect users while keeping our digital freedoms intact.
After the recent Supreme Court hearing on the possible TikTok ban, two big questions come up: Does restricting a major platform push us closer to the authoritarianism we’re supposed to be against? Is a foreign platform, one that collects user data, a future dystopian threat?
If you’ve ever watched a science fiction movie like 2001: A Space Odyssey or seen episodes of the classic Twilight Zone, you’ve likely caught a glimpse of a future where humans verbally communicate with intelligent machines.
The infamous HAL 9000 from 2001 became a cautionary tale of AI independence. Yet, while that vision seemed far off, today, a more sophisticated—and empathetic—version of talking AI is already here.
Meet Hume AI’s Empathic Voice Interface (EVI), a system designed to hear what you say and understand how you feel. You can try it by visiting the Hume AI website.
There’s something magical about a holiday craft fair — the twinkling lights, the scent of cinnamon in the air, and the creative buzz of people showcasing their handmade treasures.
I recently visited one in Oxford, Mississippi, held at the gorgeous event space The Jefferson, where artisans from across the state gathered to show off their wares. Picture tables filled with everything from whimsical paintings to glimmering ornaments and hand-crafted jewelry — it was a festive wonderland of creativity.
When it comes to dining in the Jackson metro area, I have a handful of favorite spots — but Phillip’s on the Reservoir stands out for one breathtaking reason: the view.
There’s just something special about eating delicious, freshly prepared seafood while overlooking the still, reflective waters of the Ross Barnett Reservoir. Whether you’re enjoying lunch on a sunny afternoon or settling in for dinner just as the sky turns cotton-candy pink at sunset, the atmosphere here is always peaceful, always picturesque.
One of the many reasons I love the South — especially Mississippi — is that good old-fashioned values like common sense, hard work, and honesty still hold strong. It’s not just talk down here. You see it in action, in small but powerful ways.
Take, for instance, this little vegetable stand just down the road from where I live.
There’s something deeply comforting about dining in a place that feels like it belongs to another time — where the walls tell stories and the food tastes like it came straight out of Grandma’s kitchen. I’ve always been drawn to restaurants with a little character, charm, and history, and two of my favorites are Taylor Grocery and Gibbes Old Country Store in Learned, Mississippi.
If you’ve never been to Gibbes, it’s the kind of place that reminds you why people fall in love with the South. Think old hardwood floors, mismatched tables and chairs, antique signs on the walls, and the kind of genuine Southern hospitality that makes you feel like family the moment you walk in.
Last week, I stumbled upon a one-of-a-kind Mississippi dining experience, and it inspired me to start something new: a video blog series called “Mississippi Style On the Road.” Whenever I’m out exploring the state and come across something special — whether it’s food, culture, or just good old-fashioned charm — I’ll try to capture it and share it with you. (Check out the first video above!)
Now, let me confess something. At least once a week, I find myself at Cracker Barrel. Like most Southerners, I’ve grown fond of the familiar old-country-store aesthetic, complete with rocking chairs, checkerboards, and shelves of candy sticks and vintage signs.
The term “Mad Men” once referred to Madison Avenue ad execs. But in Madison County, Mississippi, the creatives at Ridgeland’s Mad Genius embraced the name — hosting a full-on “Mad Menius” office party in costume to celebrate the hit AMC drama.
Creative Director Eric Hughes was hooked from day one.
If you’re an “I Love Lucy” fan, the word “Babalu” might ring a bell. It was Ricky Ricardo’s signature song — an Afro-Caribbean tune that now lends its name to one of Fondren’s hottest new restaurants.
Babalu Tacos & Tapas, located inside the old Duling School at 622 Duling Ave., opened with a retro-urban vibe that fits right in with Fondren’s artsy energy. Walk inside and you’ll see vintage Lucy clips projected on the wall, a nostalgic touch dreamed up by co-owner Al Roberts after seeing something similar in another restaurant.
Rick Griffin, a Jackson landscape architect, grew up seeing bottle trees on trips between Ocean Springs and Vicksburg. Fascinated by their charm, he built a 10-foot bottle tree in his own yard, calling it a symbol of fun and individuality. “It’s about being a nonconformist,” he says.
Once dismissed as kitschy folk art, bottle trees are now booming in popularity across the South, especially in neighborhoods like Fondren, where urban horticulture expert Felder Rushing has documented a sharp rise in their numbers. Rushing believes this trend reflects a cultural shift toward more relaxed, expressive outdoor spaces. “For a long time, lawns had to be perfect. Now, people feel freer to add personality and history to their yards,” he explains.
If you’re a bookworm with a love for unique accessories, here’s a literary treasure you’ll want to add to your collection: miniature book earrings handcrafted by The Small Book Company on Etsy.
I stumbled across this gem while browsing Etsy — one of my favorite places to discover creative and handcrafted finds. Jewelry artist Nicolette Tallmadge has turned her passion for literature into wearable art by designing teeny-tiny earrings shaped like classic books. I couldn’t resist ordering a pair, and when they arrived, I was completely charmed.
In today’s world of hyper-personalization — where everything from coffee cups to sneakers can be tailored to your taste — it’s no surprise that even bobbleheads have joined the customization craze. Enter HeadBobble, a California-based company turning this pop culture novelty into a highly personalized keepsake.
You may know bobbleheads as those comically exaggerated figurines with oversized heads that nod and wobble with a gentle tap. Once reserved for athletes, politicians, and fictional TV characters like Dwight Schrute from “The Office,” these wobbly collectibles are now being designed to look just like you — or your favorite person.
Have you heard of the new wedding trend called “trashing the dress”? It’s a fine art photography movement gaining popularity across the country — and it’s not as destructive as it sounds.
Brides are taking their once-worn gowns and diving into oceans, rolling in mud, or swimming through lakes, all in the name of creating unforgettable photos. The idea? The dress was only going to be worn once, so why not turn it into a work of art?
A French company called LumiGram is taking fashion and home décor into the future — literally — with its line of products made from fiber optic fabric.
That’s right — shirts, purses, pillows, tablecloths, and even jackets now glow with a radiant shimmer, thanks to embedded fiber optic strands that light up in the dark. Think of it as a high-tech twist on glow-in-the-dark, with a bit more flair and definitely more wattage.
Did you know you can make real money in a virtual world? Ailin Graef, a Chinese-born German citizen, recently became the first person to be recognized as a virtual millionaire, thanks to her success in the online game Second Life. That’s right — she didn’t mine gold or strike oil; she traded in digital land and virtual fashion, turning her avatar, Anshe Chung, into a real-world success story.
Intrigued by this unlikely tale of digital fortune, I decided to explore Second Life myself — part curiosity, part hopeful investor. What I found was something between a futuristic economy, a Sims-style social experiment, and a mildly chaotic carnival of avatars, flying people, casinos, fashionistas, and yes — gunfire.
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